Systems and methods for automatic reconnect of calls

Abstract

A system and method are provided for recovering a communication session between a client device and a participant device is performed by a server running a central service. The server detects that the client device has lost connection to the participant device and proceeds to maintain the connection to the participant device. In certain embodiments, the server determines why the client device lost connection and selects a second device in close proximity to the client device using information from a user profile associated with the client device. The server then proceeds to establish a connection between the client device and the participant device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for restoring a communication session between a user and a participant, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a server device, a communication signal from a client device associated with the user to establish a first communication channel between the client device and a participant device associated with the participant; 
 in response to receiving the communication signal, establishing, by the server device, the first communication channel through the server device by connecting the server device to the client device via a first network and connecting the server device to the participant device via a second network, the established first communication channel providing the communication session between the client and the participant; 
 detecting, by the server device, that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel by detecting that the client device has disconnected from the server device; 
 in response to detecting that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel:
 maintaining, by the server device, the connection to the participant device via the second network; 
 retrieving, by the server device from a database, a user profile and device statistics associated with the client device; and 
 selecting, by the server device, a second device in close proximity to the client device using the user profile and the device statistics retrieved from the database, the second device associated with the user; and 
 
 establishing, by the server device, a second communication channel through the server device by connecting to the second device via a third network and maintaining the connection to the participant device via the second network, the established second communication channel restoring the communication session between the user and the participant. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to detecting that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel, providing, by the server device, a media message to the participant device, wherein the media message comprises at least one of a prompt for a voice message from the participant device, an audio message, a text message, or a video message. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to detecting that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel, determining, by the server device, a reason that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel, wherein selecting the second device using the user profile and the device statistics retrieved from the database further comprises selecting the second device based on the reason that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user profile comprises one or more of a location of the client device, a location of a plurality of devices associated with the user of the client device, or preference settings, and wherein the device statistics comprise one or more of battery life, signal strength, or available networks. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device statistics comprise historical information associated with the location of the client device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the client device comprises the second device. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first network is a first mobile network with a first carrier and the third network is a second mobile network with a second carrier different from the first carrier. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to detecting that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel:
 determining, by the server device, that the client device is likely to lose connectivity based on at least one of historical information or location data; and 
 providing, by the server device, a warning to both the client device and the participant device. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first network and the third network are different. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first network and the third network are the same. 
     
     
       11. A server configured as a central service conducting a communication session and configured to coordinate messages in the communication session, the server comprising
 at least one network interface configured to communicatively couple a server device to a plurality of communication networks; and at least one processor configured to:
 receive a communication signal from a client device associated with a user to establish a first communication channel between a client device and a participant device associated with a participant; 
 in response to receiving the communication signal, establish the first communication channel through the server device by connecting the server device to the client device via a first network and connecting the server device to the participant device via a second network, the established first communication channel providing the communication session between the client and the participant; 
 detect that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel by detecting that the client device has disconnected from the server device; 
 in response to detecting that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel:
 maintain the connection to the participant device via the second network; 
 retrieve, from a database, a user profile and device statistics associated with the client device; and 
 select a second device in close proximity to the client device using the user profile and the device statistics retrieved from the database, the second device associated with the user; and 
 establish a second communication channel through the server device by connecting to the second device via a third network and maintaining the connection to the participant device via the second network, the established second communication channel restoring the communication session between the user and the participant. 
 
 
 
     
     
       12. The server of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor, in response to detecting that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel, is further configured to provide a media message to the participant device, wherein the media message comprises at least one of a prompt for a voice message from the participant device, an audio message, a text message, or a video message. 
     
     
       13. The server of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 in response to detecting that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel, determine a reason that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel, wherein selecting the second device using the user profile and the device statistics retrieved from the database further comprises selecting the second device based on the reason that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel. 
 
     
     
       14. The server of  claim 11 , wherein the user profile parameters further comprise one or more of a location of the client device, a location of a plurality of devices associated with the user of the client device, or preference settings. 
     
     
       15. The server according to  claim 11 , wherein the device statistics comprise one or more of battery life, signal strength, or available networks. 
     
     
       16. The server of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, prior to detecting that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel:
 determine that the client device will lose connectivity based on historical information and location data; and 
 provide a warning to both the client device and the participant device. 
 
     
     
       17. The server of  claim 11 , wherein the first network and the third network are different. 
     
     
       18. The server of  claim 11 , wherein the first network and the third network are the same. 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer readable storage device for recovering a communication session between a user and a participant, the computer readable storage device having computer executable instructions for performing the steps of:
 receiving a communication signal from a client device associated with the user to establish a first communication channel between a client device and a participant device associated with the participant; 
 in response to receiving the communication signal, establishing the first communication channel through a server device by connecting the server device to the client device via a first network and connecting the server device to the participant device via a second network, the established first communication channel providing the communication session between the client and the participant; 
 determining that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel by detecting that the client device has disconnected from the server device; 
 maintaining the connection to the participant device via the second network; 
 retrieving, from a database, a user profile and device parameters associated with the client device; 
 selecting a second device in close proximity to the client device using the user profile and the device parameters retrieved from the database, the second device associated with the user; and 
 establishing a second communication channel through the server device by connecting to the second device via a third network and maintaining the connection to the participant device via the second network, the established second communication channel restoring the communication session between the user and the participant. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of  claim 19 , further comprising instructions for performing the steps of, in response to determining that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel, providing a media message to the participant device, wherein the media message comprises at least one of a prompt for a voice message from the participant device, an audio message, a text message, or a video message. 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of  claim 19 , further comprising instructions for performing the steps of, in response to determining that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel, determining a reason that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel, wherein selecting the second device using the user profile and the device parameters retrieved from the database further comprises selecting the second device based on the reason that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel. 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of  claim 19 , wherein the second device comprises the client device. 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of  claim 19 , further comprising instructions for performing the steps of, prior to detecting that the client device has dropped from the first communication channel:
 determining that the client device will lose connectivity based on historical information and location data; and 
 providing a warning to both the client device and the participant device. 
 
     
     
       24. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of  claim 19 , wherein the first network and the third network are different. 
     
     
       25. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of  claim 19 , wherein the first network and the third network are the same.